Duke Bootee put in some amazing work following his contributions to both parts of “The Message”, most notably his production and powerful Linn drum programming for a number of Beauty & The Beat (his own label) and Profile singles. Records from the Point Blank MCs, MC Crash, K-Rob, Z-3 MCs and the Duke himself all bore a common sound – loud drums, heavy scratching and a healthy dose of Shout Rap.

Z-3 MC’s “Triple Threat” featured DJ Cheese’s recorded debut, as these youngsters from Baltimore went for theirs with a little help from a human beatbox and a cheesy “King Tut” keyboard riff (which would have been pretty awesome at the time, I guess). “King Kut” soon followed, as New Jersey’s Word of Mouth delivered a more polished though very similar song, replacing the Egyptian tune with an off-key “London Bridge Is Falling Down” melody and focusing more on praising the work of the mighty Cheese than shutting down toy MC’s. Both of these tracks still hit hard, but I’d have to say that I prefer the lesser-known “Triple Threat” if I had to choose between the two.

The TR-606 features six sounds: Bass Drum, Snare Drum, Hi Tom, Lo Tom, Cymbal and Open/Closed Hi Hat. All sounds are totally analogue, but none are tunable. Cymbal is halfway between a ride and crash. If you play it with accent it really jumps out at you. Not the best of sound but you can usually find a use for it. Hi Hats are very nice analogue hi-hats, very much like the TR-808. Because the open, closed and accented sounds interact in interesting ways, you can actually program in a lot more dynamics than you’d think. Like the TR-808, the 606 offers Accent. Accent isn’t a sound. Instead it lets you place accents on certain beats in the bar. All instruments playing on these beats are accented. Most of the instruments sound different with accent (not just louder).

Comment by Lotuz 09.01.05 @

“King Kut” is more of classic, but I don’t hear “Triple Threat” that often so I like it more…if that makes sense (?!)

I’m partial to the Z-3MCs & the Point Blank MC’s.
Love the picture covers as well.
I’ve never seen or heard the MC Crash single though.
Sahme atht Duke Bopotee’s own album isn’t the best, but ‘Message II (Survival)” with Melle Mel is still stellar.
Gold Rob, gold.

king kut came out a year before triple threat.
the write up isn’t right.

Comment by kooldjnez 09.20.05 @

I’m an old school hip hop dj from baltimore. I have both records. I must correct the writer of this article. King kut was drop in 1984 & Triple Threat was drop in the winter of 1985. Here’s the problem with hip hop; no one has written an extensive and accurate history thats why their will never be any respect for true hip hop. the “new” tracks out now are just a bunch of buls**t with no substance and no creativity. Shame on us Old School emcee’s and dj’s who don’t school the young folks on the history of hip hop. =(

Comment by 'Isa 10.20.05 @

From what I remember DJ Cheese also appeared on a Tackhead release.
Saw him blow the Arena roof off at Wembley in ’86……that really was some thing to behold – unleashing his skills on the fledgling UK hiphop crowd. Haven’t been to see anything tha tcompared to that moment !!

Comment by HARKET 10.21.05 @

THIS IS TAKING ME BACK TO THE 7TH GRADE. “TRIPLE THREAT” IS ONE OF MY FAV OF ALL TIME!

YA’LL MAKING ME LATE FOR WORK! I NEED A WRITTEN EXCUSE! &^^* IT!

Comment by Elphonics 12.02.05 @

10 years old,capital radio (mike allen)KING KUT,ahhh those were the days.Was there ever a remix of it?

Wow! That brings back memories! I’ve got the Z3 MC Triple Threat 12″ buried in a box of old school stuff.
What happened to the song link?
I’ve got to get that on my computer!

Comment by Drewski B Downs 01.27.06 @

Damn, I remember Cheese tearing it p at UK Fresh 86. Probably he was the reason I saved like a motha for my set of 1210’s. I also remeber he did a live set with Word of Mouth on the Mike Allen show on Capital Radio which I had on tape back in the day, but I lost it!

Didn’t the DMC championship have to change it’s ruleset after Cheese entered and blew everyone away by just scratching through his whole set, plus showcasing tricks like scratching with his shoe?

Comment by Downstroke 01.29.06 @

trying to find either or both of these on vinyl?????hot “FI-YA”

Comment by terry 02.09.06 @

dj cheese is locked up for awhile he’s my boy

Comment by sal 02.24.06 @

I’ve got a good copy of Triple Threat if you’re still looking to buy Terry.

I can remember Cheese using that same 606 on stage at Plainfield High School with Righteous O
Reel, the Rakim of his time…good stuff!

Comment by jay byrd 04.05.06 @

I have a copy of that original album (with the sticker on the sleeve)just as in the photo above.

It lives in a milk crate with 1200 other classic 12″ remixes of mine that include Planet Rock, Don’t Stop the Music, Everything from the GAP Band and ton’s more – so if your looking for something in .mp3 format (drop me a line).

Word of Mouth and Z3 both represent the rawness of Hip-Hop in that era. I think Duke Booty was WAY ahead of his time when he made those beats and I’m just sorry that between those two groups they only had 3 or 4 songs and were unable to produce a whole album. I have both “Triple Threat” and “King Kut” on vinyl and just got a copy of “Mr Magic’s Rap Attack vol 2″ on CD with “Coast to Coast” on it; I have it on regular rotation on my iTunes at work. Quite frankly, they are a lot better than most rap artists that are out today. Hats off to those cats!

Comment by Nell 06.21.06 @

YOOOOooooo!DJ.CHEESE iz da sh!%#@,He came to a park in morristown nj and blew my mind,as a shorty.I was a fan prior to him showing up,with a MC named Righteous’O REAL,and all he said on the mic was,perpindicular lines on the rhymes by my side,say CHEESE IS…then CHEESE would scratch FRESHHHH! GOOD LOOKIN 4 THOSE CLASSICS…1

Comment by rafiyq 07.21.06 @

I picked up the MC CRASH 12″ back in 86 or 87 when I went to NYC for a visit. Great record, love the vibe on this. Has a dark, street atmosphere to the track, but of course with that classic Beauty & The Beat sound. And I haven’t seen this anywhere else since then, or anyone even mentioning it. One of the great gems in my collection for sure – BC

Comment by BC 10.21.06 @

This is taking me back, I’m from Plainfield too. Used to sell Cheese records downtown, let him borrow my speakers, hand him records from his briefcase at a few joints. Would sick him on cats that thought they were nasty on the 12’s. Righteous’O REAL was my boy too, last I heard he was in AZ.

Comment by dj skillz 10.22.06 @

Yo, I did the photography work back in the 80s for Duke Bootee and the Sugarhill folks. It takes me back to see these old photos still alive. Anyone have copies of these covers in good condition they’re wiling to sell me now? Also, check out Duke Bootee’s first novel, The Yo Culture, just released on Lagrimas Publishers imprint at http://www.yoculture.net

Cheese practicaly blew the system at UK Fresh 86, always thought it was staged though? still aint sure..I was 13yrs old…it was closest thing to a religious experience to see Cheese cuttin with his Fila sneaker..lol. maan..Word Of Mouth were live..still love Coast to Coast..’Ch-ch-cheese gonna play it’!!..Bless

Comment by Sterling 11.30.06 @

Thanks for that Triple Threat track. By the way was it the bonus beat on Coast to Coast or King Kut that had the “listen up”. That was hip hop in one of its purest forms.

Comment by JussViciousCutz 12.12.06 @

I use to dj with cheese me and my cuz rich and let me tell u if there were ever a dj for the hall of fame cheese is it I WAS THERE WHEN HE DID HIS FIRST TRANSFORMER SCRATCH CLAAAAAASSSSSSSIC REPIN NUCC JERSEY FREEHOLD

Comment by row 03.31.07 @

Peace my name is Dj Sadot El from plainfield Nj.FWP ceo.I grew up around Cheese and Dj Spivey,dj Kev ski, Billy King (Cut)and a lot of the real hip hoppers of plainfield breaking,popping and living the life of true hip hop from “86”and still holding it down in the field.Summer of 07 you should all be on the lookout for Dj Cheese to drop some new shit for your ear.And if you know Plainfield then you know Sadot El and the FWP familia will be dropin too!Stay tuned were not done yet!Peace to each. uno!

Comment by Sadot El 04.04.07 @

i remember when i used to walk from clinton ave. to the eastend of plainfield with my breakbeats in hand so i could let cheese cut them up and put them on tape. i made a few freestyle tapes with him back in the day under the name “chilly t”. i have long lost the copy of it. i think the name of the apartments he used to live at was called Meadowbrook. i never did get those “octopus” breaks albums back from him. lol my boy Nicky d was mad as hell at me because of that. anyone remember DJ AL from south plainfield? how bout the summer jams at the Liberty theater?

Comment by tislamic 05.30.07 @

tislamic – Yeah, it was the Meadowbrook Projects. I’m Poopsie’s little cousin. I used to sit in the living room while ya’ll made mixes in the other room!

IT WAS NOT AN OFFICIAL PARTY UNLESS CHEESE WAS ON THE WHEELS OF STEEL. GRANT AVE, SSYC, HOUSE PARTIES, ARBOR FIREHOUSE IN PISCATAWAY. BACK WHEN ASMAR, AL-MATEEN, HAS ,AMAZING, DEVINE AND THE REST OF 4TH STREET PROJECTS WAS REPPIN THE WEST END. REMEMBER THAT.

ANDRE FIELDS

Comment by DRAY 08.30.07 @

yea thats my uncle. i think he the best dj alive, ‘cuttin and scratchin’. this renee son

Comment by lil cheese 12.20.07 @

I was reading the comments and came across someone who was selling the z3 mc’s triple threat and Im in need of a copy after someone clipped me for mine. Holla back

Comment by Dj Skillz 12.22.07 @

Wow!!! Phat memories with DJ Cheese. We go back to a party we did in Asbury Park NJ at the community center. He showed up with his equipment (2 Technic 1200s, 2 bass bin Cer Vegas, CS 300 amp, etc.) and we went at it or should I say I tried. He tore me up and we weren’t even battling. I think the year was 1985/1986. My group was the True Brothers (MC Supreme, MC True Love, Prince). We ran the south Jersey shore until Cheese showed up and YES he rocked it. It was before he went to the UK DMC battle. Let me take everyone down memory lane: He started off with a son called :”what people do for money and he scratched the sh@* out of change the beat (“ahh.. this stuff is really –FRESH”). Then he did this back spend move that was so fast!!! DJ Cheese you get all the props. I wonder if he kept that classic brown 2 door Cadillac Serville?

Comment by Scotty 12.26.07 @

Wow!!!! Plainfield ..I’m gonna take all yous back to da real days DJ Cheese. When we were in the 7th grade before anyone outside of the east end knew him. I was from the west end and bussed to Maxon. Cheese did our school parties and I popped with my boys from Newark. Shaba-doo dancers and he cut. We eventually grew to H.S. (my 9th-10th grade out for gang reasons Peace YOUNG RIFF) But back in the 11th I battled Righteous O in Poppin / Break’n 1984. Yeah Cheese (7th or 8th) Played “Fantastic Voyage” and hits like “Burn Rubber on Me” He would cut the motocylcle part in the beginning for all you back in da day peeps.
As time went on we kept cool he made his record, Did big things in UK. He repts PLFD but some towns still didn’t give him his respect. We later were on the blocks hustl’n. He on 3rd /Grant , me on John & Essex. We would just say sup but we went back and had respect. Cheese knew everyone and everyone knew Cheese. Remember the Yellow Audi with yellow piped out seat say’n CHEESE..yeah we had fun and trouble and I wish him well. I always thought he was to talented to be home doing nothing. Peace to Maxson heads, Plfd and you cats from N.B. who would fight wit us at every party. Didn’t mean nothing though we kept coming to yo town smashin hit records. OH yeah, cant foget the still play’n partner DJ Fatt Rodney who stillllll keeps Plainfield going..one of the last of the good fellas. NYC has Red Alert and Plainfield has DJ Fatt Rod.

Comment by Spank 03.07.08 @

King Kut is still one of my favorite records. Funny I don’t remember there being a sticker with a photo. I have both records but, I always thought the cohesiveness of the Word of Mouth record made it the better of the two. The lyricism the cuts and scratches and the beat all just clicked. Plus one of my favorite lines is on that record “I got so many rhymes I don’t know what to do I might throw some away or give some to you.” Classic! 1!

Comment by Brooklyn 'Lo 07.17.08 @

Much love to all the guys my name is Shimrock the leader of the Point Blank Mc’s,We were only teenagers 13-17.It was the best time in hiphop.

Comment by Shimrock 11.06.08 @

Yo! This is crazy. All my Ol’ headz on here for real. 83 to 87 was the best years for Hip Hop (True Dat Shim). The game has changed and DJ’s dont really DJ anymore. Funny thing is I moved to Philly a couple of years ago (where they accually still Scratch) and Cheese is still a much respected name. Everytime I say I’m orig From PLFD they ask me “You Know DJ Cheese?” Much respect to the real.

Comment by Tactics aka Tic Tac 01.11.09 @

Growing up in Elizabeth, New Jersey and looking at all of the trips down memory lane has got me really tripping. I had posted some info on Facebook.com with the Point Blank MCs 12″ cover photo and all of my old classmates lost their darn minds when they saw it.
SHIMROCK?!?!? Man if that was the real Shimrock from the Point Blank MCs that left that message get at me asap. There are some Lafayette folks that are interested in knowing what’s up with you. You were a true B-Boy in every sense of the term. I remember you and Eddie (Everlast) from elementary and middle school.

WOW!! Maxson,Cheese and Young Riff all in the same statement….Spank must remember the brawl when Cheese hit*****in the head with a pipe. Evona Ave., Crazy Crew, can’t forget Lady Ace’s!! I feel good again!!

Comment by JayByrd 11.28.09 @

I go a long Way Back with Fatt Rodney If You Ever went to Fatt Rodney’s House He Was Always Mixing in his basement on his 1200’s blending old 60’s music in with 80’s music yo’ Rod You Will always be my Boy keep Doing what you do!!

Comment by Ryan Beasley 11.06.10 @

I woul like to thank everyone for the memories! World famous Dj King Kut DJ Cheese